With over 40 years of history and popularity, the Rubik’s Cube continues to fascinate puzzle fans and competitors around the world. New young talents are emerging all the time in local and global Rubik’s cube rankings.
Now, a Singapore child is taking down adults left and right to climb his national rankings. Here is the full story.
The Cubing Prodigy
10-year-old Luis Tan has devoted up to 8 hours a day to solving the Rubik’s Cube since picking it up just 8 months ago.
A State of Constant Improvement
Luis was able to reduce his solve times from 4 minutes to just 15 seconds through constant practice and learning new algorithms.
78 Algorithms Memorized
In just 8 months, Luis memorized 78 different algorithms for solving the cube, with the longest being 7-8 moves.
Success at First Competition
Competing against experienced adults, Luis clinched 4th place in his first competition in the fewest moves category, averaging just 31.67 moves.
Ranked 4th Nationally
At the Please Be Quiet Bukit Jalil 2023 competition, Luis achieved a personal record of 24 moves, earning him a ranking of 4th nationally.
Practice Makes Perfect
Leading up to competitions, Luis practices up to 8 hours a day on weekends and 2 hours on weekdays to stay sharp.
Maintaining Top Grades
Despite the many hours cubing, Luis still earns top grades in school, scoring 90+ in all subjects.
Teaching His Peers
Luis was appointed by his teachers to teach other students at his school how to solve the Rubik’s Cube.
Passion for Robotics Too
Beyond cubing, Luis enjoys coding and robotics. He will compete in a robotics competition for his school in September.
Learning Faster Than Adults
Luis picked up solving the cube in just 1 hour, while it took his dad a week to learn the basics. Kids can learn faster than adults.
Supportive Parents
Luis’ parents support him by rewarding new cubes for cubing wins and good grades. They care more about his effort than results.
Cubing Runs in Family
Luis’ brother Lucas also takes cubing lessons and joins in his practice. Their home is filled with around 30 cubes.
The Art of Fewest Moves
In Fewest Move competitions, solvers are given an hour to find the shortest solution to a cube configuration.
Crucial First Moves
Luis spends up to 30 minutes planning his first 1-2 moves as they determine available future steps.
Met Cubing Mentor
Luis was mentored by Wong Chong Wen, ranked #1 nationally and #5 worldwide in Fewest Moves.
Impressive Memorization
Wong was impressed that Luis memorized 78 algorithms in just 8 months after starting cubing.
Constant Rotation
Despite the hours of manipulation, cubing has not impacted Luis’ wrists or grades.
Appointed Cube Teacher
Luis was appointed by his school to teach other students how to solve the cube.
Future of Cubing
With such early success, Luis has a bright future ahead in competitive cubing events across Singapore and beyond.
Rubik’s Cube History
The Rubik’s Cube has been around since 1974 and has remained popular for over 40 years. It managed to capture Luis’ interest even though it predates him by generations.
The Everlasting Cube
The classic Rubik’s Cube continues to challenge both kids and adults decades after its invention.
